An investigation of official 1976 suicide statistics among minority elderly revealed that suicide rates are highest among the old for Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino Americans. Among Blacks and Native Americans, however, suicide rates are extremely low for the aged. Suggests explanations for these findings. (Author)

The author examines the tenets, historical antecedents, and implications of the current art education theory of "planned eclecticism," which encourages relatively free curriculum content choices, subject only to the psychosocial context of the school. He questions the theory's dependence on sociological theories and scientific…

In the context of reflections on sociolinguistic research in Alsace, results are discussed of current studies which indicate the importance of the city/rural area distinction in use of French and Alsatian. The complexity of the actual linguistic situation in Alsace is described. (AMH)

This article offers ideas on developing cross-cultural classroom activities related to aging and the aged. The ideas are mostly in the form of questions. Questions include, "What is the dominant age group of the society?""How is this dominance felt by other age groups?" and "At what age do most people retire?" (DB)

Group bilingualism, the contact situations which lead to it, and the role of language in maintaining ethnic boundaries are examined. Emphasis is laid on minority languages in the United States, Canada, Europe, and South Africa. The insistence of these groups on maintenance bilingual education rather than the acceptance of transitional assimilation…

Outlines the history of the Vancouver Sikh community and documents current patterns of family recruitment and family relationships. Contends that modifications in traditional family life reflect a concern for economic advancement and competition. (Author/GC)

This historical study of divorce practice has only recently begun. Using Worcester County, Massachusetts as a test case, a preliminary hypothesis that explains the increasing frequency of divorce in terms of basic changes of American life, particularly the increased economic independence of women brought about by industrialization, is presented.…

Sketching trends in marriage, divorce, and children's lives, the author predicts that leading topics of family researchers in the 1980s will include family violence, the quality of marital and parent/child relationships, divorce and remarriage, fertility, dual career families, and family demography. Adapted from "The Wilson Quarterly," Summer…

The increase in suicides by firearms in all sex-ethnic groups accompanied marked increases in the availability of firearms, which is a preferred, socioculturally accepted method of suicide. Studies suggest that suicides may be prevented by decreasing the availability of the most common methods of suicide to suicidal individuals. (Author)

Explores the problem of health care utilization from both the structural and personal perspectives. Analyzes traditional health care beliefs and practices, and the interplay between these beliefs and practices and the modern health care system. (Author/RLV)

Analyzes the major patterns of change within historical social and political systems and the cultural conditions which account for variations in the patterns. The purpose is to provide a theoretical framework for analyzing the relationship between ideas or culture and social structure. (KC)

The biological and the cultural aspects of human play are inextricably linked and mutually influence each other. (LH)

Statistical data from the U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Income and Education reveals societal patterns of language shift. The data can confirm the adequacy of theories of the causality of language shift. Examination of the data indicates geographic regions where language shift has occurred and is likely to occur. (PMJ)

Socal and educational trends are examined with an eye toward planning for the coming decade. Among the trends examined are: inflation; declining birth rates; differential fertility and increasing minorities; off-campus educators, including industry, the military, and professional associations; and adult and continuing education. (JMD)

Reports on certain social and economic indicators that provide a "modestly comprehensive" view of literacy activities, in order to extract an account of the current state and trend of the value and volume of the nation's literacy. Attempts to get a more basic than usual view of literacy, seeing it primarily as an economic activity. (Author/GT)